Chapter 2
Tears blurred my vision. My whole body trembled with the sheer coldness of betrayal.
“Liam, you’re out of your mind!” Mark’s angry voice cut through the silence. Then, in a low growl, “Dude, have a heart! You want to give Sarah her dying wish? Fine. At least be discreet
about it! Why announce it to the world, humiliate Ava like this?”
Don’t you have a single shred of decency left in you?”
I waited, my breath caught in my throat, hoping for a flicker of remorse. Instead, I was met with Liam’s self–righteous indignation. “If I’m giving Sarah the gift of marriage, I’m going to do it right. She deserves that. I’ve loved her for so long, I won’t have her feel like an afterthought, not even for a second.”
The words crashed over me like a tidal wave. Liam had loved Sarah since childhood.
Why did you even bother with me then?
“What about Ava, then? Did you even consider her feelings for a second? She’s probably at
City Hall right now, waiting to marry you!” Mark’s voice was tight with suppressed fury.
I held my breath, listening intently.
Liam’s voice, when he spoke, was firm, resolute. “I’ve treated her like a princess for seven
years. She loves me. She promised to be with me, no matter what.”
“Besides, she’s an orphan. Where else would she go?”
The callousness in his voice shattered me.
I don’t know how I left.
I stumbled down the street, passing by a bridal boutique with its display of beautiful gowns.
Liam’s words echoed in my mind: “I’ve loved Sarah for twenty years.”
Twenty years… But he swore he’d never marry anyone but me. Seven years ago, he stood beneath my dorm window, begging me to be his girlfriend. He took me on adventures, whispered sweet nothings at every scenic spot we visited. Did he think of Sarah when he confessed his love for me, when he slipped the promise ring on my finger, swearing his
undying love?
Every loving memory morphed into a sharp blade, twisting inside me. And the person
wielding the knife… was the love of my life.
Humiliation and despair washed over me. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably on the
sidewalk. People started to stare.
The sky opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour. Passersby scurried for cover, but I no longer had a haven, a place to call home.
My phone rang, jarring me out of my misery. Liam.
I instinctively reached to answer, then stopped, scolding myself for my weakness. He called again. And again.
Finally, I pulled out the SIM card, switched off the phone, and tossed it into my purse. I didn’t want to hear any more of his lies, his justifications.
I don’t know how long I stood there, numb and defeated. Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms
wrap around me.
“Why are you standing in the rain like this? You’ll catch a cold!” a concerned voice said.
I looked up to see Liam’s worried face. He pulled me closer, shielding me with his umbrella. “Come on, Ava, let’s go home.”
Home?
